Tue April 24, 2012

Oregon Ag To Leave Office For Reed College Post

Oregon Attorney General John Kroger has been selected as the next president of Reed College. That means the Democrat will step down early from running the Department of Justice.

Kroger says he’s excited to join the Reed College community this July. The timing means Kroger will leave the AG’s office six months before his current term expires.

Kroger decided last year not to seek re-election, for undisclosed medical reasons. Now, he says his health won’t stand in the way of his being Reed’s president.

“I would like to protect my medical privacy, but I’ll simply say that I’ve had time over the last six or seven months to address the health challenges I’ve had," Kroger says. "So, I hope to be back to 100 percent this summer. I’m feeling great.”

In a statement, the president of Reed's board of trustees lauded Kroger’s “brilliance” and “commitment to the mission and vision” of the college.

Kroger says he’s talking to Governor John Kitzhaber about a succession plan, to handle the time between Kroger’s departure and the election of a new Attorney General.